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Lawyer David Thompson #.5
Saving Babe Ruth
The alternate cover edition for this book can be found here.
When Civil War buff and burned-out lawyer David Thompson fights to save a kids' baseball league, he's launched on a thrill ride that threatens his family, his team, and his life. Captivating characters lead double lives and keep secrets in this award-winning page-turner based on a true story.
A cast of shady adults and the high school baseball coaches hate David for trying to save it. They'll do anything to wreck the league so that their elite travel teams can take over its beautiful ball field, even if it means going after David and his family.
The harder David battles to save the league, the worse things get. He's in way over his head and he's also stuck in a family catch-22. If he surrenders, he might lose his son's love along with his own self-respect to say nothing of losing baseball for the sandlot kids in town. Yet if he doesn't back down, he'll lose his marriage and his son will lose any chance to play on the high school team.
To make things right, underdog David Thompson needs to know when to fold and when to fight. He's being pushed and shoved to his breaking point and only one thing is for sure: If he snaps, he's not planning on taking prisoners.
When Civil War buff and burned-out lawyer David Thompson fights to save a kids' baseball league, he's launched on a thrill ride that threatens his family, his team, and his life. Captivating characters lead double lives and keep secrets in this award-winning page-turner based on a true story.
A cast of shady adults and the high school baseball coaches hate David for trying to save it. They'll do anything to wreck the league so that their elite travel teams can take over its beautiful ball field, even if it means going after David and his family.
The harder David battles to save the league, the worse things get. He's in way over his head and he's also stuck in a family catch-22. If he surrenders, he might lose his son's love along with his own self-respect to say nothing of losing baseball for the sandlot kids in town. Yet if he doesn't back down, he'll lose his marriage and his son will lose any chance to play on the high school team.
To make things right, underdog David Thompson needs to know when to fold and when to fight. He's being pushed and shoved to his breaking point and only one thing is for sure: If he snaps, he's not planning on taking prisoners.
David is on an emotional roller coaster and he can't get off. He's fighting his own civil war as he struggles to make a difference in the town he cherishes without bringing harm to the family he loves.
New York Times bestselling author Margot Livesey says Swyers "has created a man for all seasons" in David Thompson and calls Saving Babe Ruth "an absorbing and compulsively readable novel."
An Amazon multiple category bestseller.
Gold Winner, Benjamin Franklin Award, 2015 "Best First Book: Fiction."
Silver Winner, Benjamin Franklin Award, 2015 "Best Popular Fiction."
Readers Views, "Best Regional Fiction 2014/2015: Northeast."
Finalist, "Best New Fiction," 2014 USA Best Book Awards.
352 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 27, 2014
382 people are currently reading
1154 people want to read
About the author
Tom Swyers
6 books42 followersHe's often called "Tom Sawyer," but he is not the Mark Twain character, though he did marry Becky Thatcher and his best friend is Huck Finn. He lives in a nice home with his family near the Mohawk River in Upstate New York and writes from behind a locked basement door when Becky has had enough of him.
Saving Babe Ruth was his first novel and these are some of the awards it has received:
Gold Winner, "Best First Book: Fiction," 2015 Independent Book Publishers Association's Benjamin Franklin Book Awards.
Silver Winner, "Best Popular Fiction," 2015 Independent Book Publishers Association's Benjamin Franklin Book Awards.
Readers Views, "Best Regional Fiction 2014/2015: Northeast."
Finalist, "Best New Fiction," 2014 USA Best Book Awards.
Saving Babe Ruth was his first novel and these are some of the awards it has received:
Gold Winner, "Best First Book: Fiction," 2015 Independent Book Publishers Association's Benjamin Franklin Book Awards.
Silver Winner, "Best Popular Fiction," 2015 Independent Book Publishers Association's Benjamin Franklin Book Awards.
Readers Views, "Best Regional Fiction 2014/2015: Northeast."
Finalist, "Best New Fiction," 2014 USA Best Book Awards.
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
October 12, 2016
As a life-long baseball fan, I took my seat and was eagerly awaiting hours of entertainment with my Kindle as I imagined the smell of freshly cut grass, chalked foul lines, and sun-warmed morning air. Saving Babe Ruth by Tom Swyers sounded like it would be a pleasant break from the murderous, psychotic adrenaline rush I often get while reading thriller mysteries.
Baseball is fun. Base hits. Amazing catches. Double plays. Perfectly executed bunts. Those are the good times. There are also the games where batters step out of the box after every pitch to adjust their batting gloves or other equipment. Pitchers shake off the sign over and over. They walk the bases loaded. Then the fielders start making errors. The game becomes tedious. It’s time to go get another brat and yet another beer.
Unfortunately, this book was too much like the tedious, slow-moving game, not the exciting one. David Thompson is a stressed out lawyer who prefers to spend his time thinking about the Civil War and running his town’s Babe Ruth youth baseball program. He finds himself butting heads with opponents who want his program’s field, its players, and apparently, David’s reputation as well.
I wanted to see where this contest would end, but by the time I got more than 40% of the way in, I still couldn’t see much going on other than David becoming more and more frustrated and his son being denied the opportunity to play on the school team because they wanted to get even with his dad. So, like a ballgame where the home team has fallen behind by a large margin midway through the game, I gave up and headed for the exit. I marked this one “Did Not Finish.”
1 star
Baseball is fun. Base hits. Amazing catches. Double plays. Perfectly executed bunts. Those are the good times. There are also the games where batters step out of the box after every pitch to adjust their batting gloves or other equipment. Pitchers shake off the sign over and over. They walk the bases loaded. Then the fielders start making errors. The game becomes tedious. It’s time to go get another brat and yet another beer.
Unfortunately, this book was too much like the tedious, slow-moving game, not the exciting one. David Thompson is a stressed out lawyer who prefers to spend his time thinking about the Civil War and running his town’s Babe Ruth youth baseball program. He finds himself butting heads with opponents who want his program’s field, its players, and apparently, David’s reputation as well.
I wanted to see where this contest would end, but by the time I got more than 40% of the way in, I still couldn’t see much going on other than David becoming more and more frustrated and his son being denied the opportunity to play on the school team because they wanted to get even with his dad. So, like a ballgame where the home team has fallen behind by a large margin midway through the game, I gave up and headed for the exit. I marked this one “Did Not Finish.”
1 star
February 18, 2015
This is a fascinating fictional journey through the oft-unseen world of real life Babe Ruth baseball.
The story revolves around David Thompson, a lawyer and Civil War buff who becomes the commissioner for his town’s Babe Ruth baseball program. Thompson’s thirteen year-old son, Christy, plays for the town. The setting is your average American town enjoying America’s favorite summer pastime, when suddenly it becomes much more than that.
Rob Barkus has designs on the Babe Ruth players and their ball field for his professional travel team. Thompson thinks the boys ought to play for the sake of the game, and not pay for the privilege or use it as a means to a scholarship. And therein lies the tale.
Thompson soon finds himself up against the town’s parents who want their kids to play with the best and win games, as well as the school’s principal. In his fight to save Babe Ruth baseball, Thompson, like Alice through the Looking Glass, enters a dark and strange world where backroom politics rule and crime and corruption are taken in stride. Suddenly, it is not about kids playing ball, anymore. Before long, everyone in town, including Thompson and his wife Annie, are divided. The stakes are high, and Thompson must come up with a plan to save the day. As things go from bad to worse, he must decide how far he will go, what sacrifices he is willing to make, to stop the corruption and keep Babe Ruth baseball safe for the kids.
This is a debut novel for Tom Swyers. He has crafted a fine David versus Goliath tale that is laced with humor and compassion. His hero, David Thompson, has all the makings of a hero in waiting, while the bad guy, Rob Barkus, is the villain everybody loves to hate. This is an intriguing narrative that is based on a true story and will appeal to all readers as it does not require any prior knowledge of baseball to enjoy it. Who would have thought that a baseball program for kids would ever come to this? Swyers shows us what happens when it does.
The story revolves around David Thompson, a lawyer and Civil War buff who becomes the commissioner for his town’s Babe Ruth baseball program. Thompson’s thirteen year-old son, Christy, plays for the town. The setting is your average American town enjoying America’s favorite summer pastime, when suddenly it becomes much more than that.
Rob Barkus has designs on the Babe Ruth players and their ball field for his professional travel team. Thompson thinks the boys ought to play for the sake of the game, and not pay for the privilege or use it as a means to a scholarship. And therein lies the tale.
Thompson soon finds himself up against the town’s parents who want their kids to play with the best and win games, as well as the school’s principal. In his fight to save Babe Ruth baseball, Thompson, like Alice through the Looking Glass, enters a dark and strange world where backroom politics rule and crime and corruption are taken in stride. Suddenly, it is not about kids playing ball, anymore. Before long, everyone in town, including Thompson and his wife Annie, are divided. The stakes are high, and Thompson must come up with a plan to save the day. As things go from bad to worse, he must decide how far he will go, what sacrifices he is willing to make, to stop the corruption and keep Babe Ruth baseball safe for the kids.
This is a debut novel for Tom Swyers. He has crafted a fine David versus Goliath tale that is laced with humor and compassion. His hero, David Thompson, has all the makings of a hero in waiting, while the bad guy, Rob Barkus, is the villain everybody loves to hate. This is an intriguing narrative that is based on a true story and will appeal to all readers as it does not require any prior knowledge of baseball to enjoy it. Who would have thought that a baseball program for kids would ever come to this? Swyers shows us what happens when it does.
June 15, 2018
babe ruth was realy funny and a great baseball player who has a lot of MLB recorads and he is nice to people by buying people beers
June 21, 2014
I won a copy on Goodreads Firstreads.
I haven't made it too far into this book yet. I am only around page 80. So far, it has been hard to really get into it. What I have gotten out of it is that local baseball (free to play community program) is good and the elite travel (pay to play private program) is bad. The community program has the best field but is losing players to the travel league which wants to take over the best field. The parents seem to feel if they pay for their kids to play, they have a better chance to get a scholarship to college. This information could have reasonable been explained in 20 pages (including introductions of main characters, etc.) but has been told and rehashed multiple times. Hopefully the story will start moving soon.
The good news is that the story did start moving shortly after this point. The bad news is that it still had problems. The tendency to over-explain things never faded. If an example will help to explain something, then multiple examples should make it crystal clear. Things were rehashed over and over...and over...and over.(Like that.)Most of the so-called confrontations reminded me of two kids arguing on a playground, going back and forth with 'is so' and 'is not'.
I first entered the giveaway for 2 main reasons. The first was that I thought this would make a really good book to give my friend because he is a big baseball fan and loves mysteries. the second was that description of this being a mystery story. I am not into sports of any type really but I do like a good mystery. So I figured if I won, I could read it and then pass it on to my friend. There are 2 problems with this plan though. The first is that I would never describe this story as a mystery in any context. The second , and bigger problem, is that there is very little ball playing taking place in this book.
The book is also described as a novel based on real events. I can not say what is real and what is fictionalized in the book, so I have a hard time knowing how much to take seriously. The main character (and seemingly most of the other characters) can only see in black and white. It seemed no one had ever heard of compromises. Simple solutions to problems were ignored and common sense was thrown out of the window. I could not figure out why the main character insisted on basically trying to face all of these challenges without trying to gain more allies. The many 'godfather' characters were ridiculous. The principal totally boggled my mind. I was a teacher for awhile and I can not imagine a principal getting away with such actions and supposedly "off the radar" of the community at that.
Once things started happening in the book, which started way too late in the story, it wasn't bad. But the main characters many internal monologues and explanations caused the story to drag. Sidetracks off the main story also slowed the book. Finally the black and white attitudes of the main characters gave the story the feel of a made for TV afterschool special. I would say that it might appeal to baseball fans more, but again the book is more about the people running the game than any actual playing of the game.
I haven't made it too far into this book yet. I am only around page 80. So far, it has been hard to really get into it. What I have gotten out of it is that local baseball (free to play community program) is good and the elite travel (pay to play private program) is bad. The community program has the best field but is losing players to the travel league which wants to take over the best field. The parents seem to feel if they pay for their kids to play, they have a better chance to get a scholarship to college. This information could have reasonable been explained in 20 pages (including introductions of main characters, etc.) but has been told and rehashed multiple times. Hopefully the story will start moving soon.
The good news is that the story did start moving shortly after this point. The bad news is that it still had problems. The tendency to over-explain things never faded. If an example will help to explain something, then multiple examples should make it crystal clear. Things were rehashed over and over...and over...and over.(Like that.)Most of the so-called confrontations reminded me of two kids arguing on a playground, going back and forth with 'is so' and 'is not'.
I first entered the giveaway for 2 main reasons. The first was that I thought this would make a really good book to give my friend because he is a big baseball fan and loves mysteries. the second was that description of this being a mystery story. I am not into sports of any type really but I do like a good mystery. So I figured if I won, I could read it and then pass it on to my friend. There are 2 problems with this plan though. The first is that I would never describe this story as a mystery in any context. The second , and bigger problem, is that there is very little ball playing taking place in this book.
The book is also described as a novel based on real events. I can not say what is real and what is fictionalized in the book, so I have a hard time knowing how much to take seriously. The main character (and seemingly most of the other characters) can only see in black and white. It seemed no one had ever heard of compromises. Simple solutions to problems were ignored and common sense was thrown out of the window. I could not figure out why the main character insisted on basically trying to face all of these challenges without trying to gain more allies. The many 'godfather' characters were ridiculous. The principal totally boggled my mind. I was a teacher for awhile and I can not imagine a principal getting away with such actions and supposedly "off the radar" of the community at that.
Once things started happening in the book, which started way too late in the story, it wasn't bad. But the main characters many internal monologues and explanations caused the story to drag. Sidetracks off the main story also slowed the book. Finally the black and white attitudes of the main characters gave the story the feel of a made for TV afterschool special. I would say that it might appeal to baseball fans more, but again the book is more about the people running the game than any actual playing of the game.
January 10, 2018
A rewarding jog outside my usual reading genre (historical romance)
I downloaded this book for free. I love baseball and feel very strongly that the expense of travel ball and the intense stress deriving from focusing on a kid's future (potential for scholarship?) over fun and friendship now is putting baseball out of reach for the average-to-not-so-good player. Actually, an excellent 10-year old player without a few thousand dollars a year for league fees, one-on-one coaching, and workshops/baseball camps is not going to make a high-school team. I'd like for my son to have a chance at making the junior-varsity team at least, just to experience representing the school and getting character building talks from the coach. But in today's world of high-school scholarships to play baseball and college recruiters scouting middle-school players, my kids are squeezed out. I hope the kids who are playing at least are still having fun.
Swyers's book picks up in the middle of this conflict between self-advancement (jockeying for your kid's advantage over other kids) and a selfless focus on the higher ideals that baseball can teach. The author does a funner and more articulate capture of the parent-driven antics than I can aspire to. He limns the trajectory of an attempt to shift gears and downshift to a simpler game: a game where it's all about the boys and making friends and teamwork (not performance).
It isn't realistic fiction (this from a reader of historical romances), but it's a lot of fun. I wish my boys cd have a coach just like David. And I wish there were a Babe Ruth League near where we live in the Mid-Atlantic region.
I downloaded this book for free. I love baseball and feel very strongly that the expense of travel ball and the intense stress deriving from focusing on a kid's future (potential for scholarship?) over fun and friendship now is putting baseball out of reach for the average-to-not-so-good player. Actually, an excellent 10-year old player without a few thousand dollars a year for league fees, one-on-one coaching, and workshops/baseball camps is not going to make a high-school team. I'd like for my son to have a chance at making the junior-varsity team at least, just to experience representing the school and getting character building talks from the coach. But in today's world of high-school scholarships to play baseball and college recruiters scouting middle-school players, my kids are squeezed out. I hope the kids who are playing at least are still having fun.
Swyers's book picks up in the middle of this conflict between self-advancement (jockeying for your kid's advantage over other kids) and a selfless focus on the higher ideals that baseball can teach. The author does a funner and more articulate capture of the parent-driven antics than I can aspire to. He limns the trajectory of an attempt to shift gears and downshift to a simpler game: a game where it's all about the boys and making friends and teamwork (not performance).
It isn't realistic fiction (this from a reader of historical romances), but it's a lot of fun. I wish my boys cd have a coach just like David. And I wish there were a Babe Ruth League near where we live in the Mid-Atlantic region.
September 1, 2015
Book Review originally published here: http://www.iheartreading.net/book-tou...
In Saving Babe Ruth, David Thompson is a lawyer who tries to save the local Babe Ruth baseball program, partially because his son, Christy, plays in the team. Thompson believes the kids sohould play for the sake of the game, and to have fun, but promoters are trying to professionalize the boy’s baseball league and the parents only care about winning so that their kids can get scholarships and the likes. Thompson wants to have people play the game for the game’s sake, not for additional benefits.
The struggle is so tough it even ends up dividing Thompson’s family, and before long, he has to come up with a plan to make this right, he has to decide what he cares about the most, and how far he’s willing to go to achieve his goals. Thompson is very realistic, so much so that I could imagine him living down the street. He’s also pretty average. Despite being a lawyer, he’s quite low key, average, normal, just another neighbor who blends in everywhere. The other characters, including the villain, are all three-dimensional and realistic too, but Thompson wins the bet for most relatable character.
The book is grounded in realism, and the struggles many sports club face nowadays. Despite that, the book is far from being predictable – instead, it kept on surprising me, especially when I least expected it.
In Saving Babe Ruth, David Thompson is a lawyer who tries to save the local Babe Ruth baseball program, partially because his son, Christy, plays in the team. Thompson believes the kids sohould play for the sake of the game, and to have fun, but promoters are trying to professionalize the boy’s baseball league and the parents only care about winning so that their kids can get scholarships and the likes. Thompson wants to have people play the game for the game’s sake, not for additional benefits.
The struggle is so tough it even ends up dividing Thompson’s family, and before long, he has to come up with a plan to make this right, he has to decide what he cares about the most, and how far he’s willing to go to achieve his goals. Thompson is very realistic, so much so that I could imagine him living down the street. He’s also pretty average. Despite being a lawyer, he’s quite low key, average, normal, just another neighbor who blends in everywhere. The other characters, including the villain, are all three-dimensional and realistic too, but Thompson wins the bet for most relatable character.
The book is grounded in realism, and the struggles many sports club face nowadays. Despite that, the book is far from being predictable – instead, it kept on surprising me, especially when I least expected it.
August 29, 2015
It took me a little to get into this book, but once I did I found that I couldn't put it down. I thought the book was very one-sided towards rec ball and only gave the pit falls of travel ball. Having been exposed to both in a town that encourages both and players that play both rec and travel ball, I found this attitude hard to accept. However, having traveled with the "travel ball" team, I have seen coaches that epitomize Roy Backus and what he represented. The sad thing is that this is based on a true story. I did think that David went off the deep end occasionally and to involve the kids was unacceptable, yet understandable. It's a shame that the kids can't just "play ball" and that the parent have to be so intolerant. Overall a worthwhile read and truly will make the reader think about what is best for the "kids."
February 12, 2019
Coming from a country that doesn't rate baseball, I wasn't sure that I'd enjoy this book, but I did.
The author's character development was superb and I felt that I knew David, Annie, Christy and the arch villain, Barkus. I don't like spoilers but the story could probably be paraphrased as 'one good man's fight to protect children's community sport from those seeking to monetize it.' There is far more to the book than just this, but it does sum up the good vs evil component.
I finished Saving Babe Ruth in two nights which I think is close to the ultimate test of the readability of any book. Highly recommended for 'thinking' readers.
The author's character development was superb and I felt that I knew David, Annie, Christy and the arch villain, Barkus. I don't like spoilers but the story could probably be paraphrased as 'one good man's fight to protect children's community sport from those seeking to monetize it.' There is far more to the book than just this, but it does sum up the good vs evil component.
I finished Saving Babe Ruth in two nights which I think is close to the ultimate test of the readability of any book. Highly recommended for 'thinking' readers.
August 16, 2018
Pop Sugar 2018 Reading Challenge-a book about sports.
This book was about saving the local Babe Ruth League. Which is like Little League but for high school kids.
OK, I don't even know where to start. This was supposedly based on a true story. I can only hope that the author took a lot of liberties, because otherwise most of the people involved really need to be committed to an insane asylum. The opening scene has our protagonist David Thompson spying on our antagonist on the Babe Ruth field and he actually contemplates shooting him with a rifle. He has a rifle with him and picks it up and aims it,but then decides that might not be a good idea. Yeah, no kidding. He does then shoot a pile of dog poop next tot he antagonist so it gets on his pants. And it takes him 3 shots, so he easily could have shot him in the leg.
OK, the rest of the book is mostly just whining about how the Elite Travel League keeps stealing players and the BAbe Ruth League will soon lose their charter due to not enough players and that's just wrong because every kid in town should be playing Babe Ruth baseball. The alternative of playing on the other league, or just not playing at all, is the most immoral act since murder.
Speaking of murder, apparently the mob is involved in all of this. I was a little sketchy on that. Because the Elite team wants the Babe Ruth field. There are 2 other fields in town they can play on, but apparently the Babe Ruth field is the only baseball field that is worthy of the game of baseball. And it must be won at any cost.
Just horrible. Dont' waste your time unless you're into total ridiculousness.
This book was about saving the local Babe Ruth League. Which is like Little League but for high school kids.
OK, I don't even know where to start. This was supposedly based on a true story. I can only hope that the author took a lot of liberties, because otherwise most of the people involved really need to be committed to an insane asylum. The opening scene has our protagonist David Thompson spying on our antagonist on the Babe Ruth field and he actually contemplates shooting him with a rifle. He has a rifle with him and picks it up and aims it,but then decides that might not be a good idea. Yeah, no kidding. He does then shoot a pile of dog poop next tot he antagonist so it gets on his pants. And it takes him 3 shots, so he easily could have shot him in the leg.
OK, the rest of the book is mostly just whining about how the Elite Travel League keeps stealing players and the BAbe Ruth League will soon lose their charter due to not enough players and that's just wrong because every kid in town should be playing Babe Ruth baseball. The alternative of playing on the other league, or just not playing at all, is the most immoral act since murder.
Speaking of murder, apparently the mob is involved in all of this. I was a little sketchy on that. Because the Elite team wants the Babe Ruth field. There are 2 other fields in town they can play on, but apparently the Babe Ruth field is the only baseball field that is worthy of the game of baseball. And it must be won at any cost.
Just horrible. Dont' waste your time unless you're into total ridiculousness.
April 21, 2018
This wasn't a bad book, but it wasn't great either. A man goes against a whole town to try and save baseball for all kids, not just the select few. It is good to see how he reacts with the parents of those who are trying to stop him. It is a feel good story, but it is long and drawn out. The last few chapters make the reader want to keep reading until the end. It was easy to put down after a chapter.
July 17, 2021
Wow, Tom Sayers can write! This is the second book I have read by him and I continue to be amazed with his ability to captivate me. I am familiar with hometown baseball as I have watched my grandsons play from T-ball to teenagers. The politics are real, but this story takes it to another level. I could hardly put this book down because I needed to know what was coming around the next bend.
Now on to "The Killdeer Connection " with great anticipation.
Now on to "The Killdeer Connection " with great anticipation.
November 4, 2017
Saving Youth Baseball
Five stars not enough, I would give it six if I could. Having been a Babe Ruth coach, the story was of great interest to me. I was looking forward to reading the book and the author and his story didn't disappoint. But it's more than a baseball story, it's a life story. I highly recommend this book.
Five stars not enough, I would give it six if I could. Having been a Babe Ruth coach, the story was of great interest to me. I was looking forward to reading the book and the author and his story didn't disappoint. But it's more than a baseball story, it's a life story. I highly recommend this book.
June 15, 2018
My favorite part of this book was when Babe Ruth called his shot to dead center field and then on the first pitch of the at bat he hit a homerun. My least favorite part was when it says that Hank Aaron eventually beat his homerun record because I didn't like Hank Aaron. This book went by very slow, it was very detailed.
February 3, 2020
" I won't be happy until we have every boy in America between the ages of 6 & 16 wearing a glove and swinging a bat" BABE RUTH
" You can look for GOD in a lot of places, but on summer nights you can likely find him at a baseball field"
Everyone thinking of having their child join a travel team should read this book.
" You can look for GOD in a lot of places, but on summer nights you can likely find him at a baseball field"
Everyone thinking of having their child join a travel team should read this book.
August 18, 2017
Thoroughly enjoyed reading this story of one man's battle to preserve both his present and his past through Little League Baseball in Indigo Valley, NY. I also managed to learn a considerable amount about the Battle of Gettysburg which was a nice bonus for a history buff like myself.
December 30, 2018
Saving Babe Ruth's ( Prequel to Lawyer David Thompson)
First I have read a Ton Swyers book, it was a great read, experience Baseball like you were there playing. I would recommend this.Looking forward to reading about David Thompson,Lawyer Legal Thillers adventures.
First I have read a Ton Swyers book, it was a great read, experience Baseball like you were there playing. I would recommend this.Looking forward to reading about David Thompson,Lawyer Legal Thillers adventures.
March 5, 2019
A book that makes you smile
Listening to my husband fondly tell stories of his school day baseball games got me interested in reading this book. I was hooked after reading Swyers' "The Killdeer Connection". "Saving Babe Ruth" did not disappoint.
Listening to my husband fondly tell stories of his school day baseball games got me interested in reading this book. I was hooked after reading Swyers' "The Killdeer Connection". "Saving Babe Ruth" did not disappoint.
May 30, 2020
Babe Ruth
What a great read this turned out to be! Having been in the positive of David Thompson, I could have empathy for “rec” sports vs. travel sports. This is a great book for any parent who has children involved in youth sports.
What a great read this turned out to be! Having been in the positive of David Thompson, I could have empathy for “rec” sports vs. travel sports. This is a great book for any parent who has children involved in youth sports.
September 22, 2018
I love this & I can't wait for more.
I will be also leaving a review on Goodreads @ Amazon.
And letting everyone know about it.
So i gave it a 5 Stars.
I will be also leaving a review on Goodreads @ Amazon.
And letting everyone know about it.
So i gave it a 5 Stars.
October 17, 2016
I must confess. I didn't read all of this book. I read (slogged) the first one-half and skimmed the second half to see if it would get any better. It didn't seem to get better at all. I don't understand why it has gotten awards and great ratings...
August 16, 2014
Reviewer note--I received an ARC from the author.
As summer begins to wind down and Pennant races begin to tighten up in preparation for the Fall Classic, author Tom Swyers' debuts with a novel that is truly one of a kind. Saving Babe Ruth is a truly original story that possesses many great elements of story telling.
One of the things that makes Saving Babe Ruth an excellent read is its unpredictability. While I will admit to having had a pretty good sense of how the book would end, I was never exactly sure how Swyers would get there. To use a baseball analogy, Swyers throws plenty of curveballs throughout the book which will keep you guessing throughout the story.
This is a book with enough elements that it's hard to fit it into a single category. While Saving Babe Ruth is definitely, at its heart, a baseball book, it's also a fictionalized memoir and has enough action and suspense that I could make the case it is somewhat of a sports thriller, too.
Saving Babe Ruth tells the story of how its protagonist, David Thompson, a lawyer in upstate New York, tries to save his local Babe Ruth league from being ruined by parents and promoters who stand to benefit (both monetarily and egotistically) by attempting to "professionalize" youth sports.
The book is completely relevant in an era when kids' sports have, at best, been tainted and at worst, almost ruined, by parents who want to live vicariously through the athletic accomplishments of their kids, and the "promoters" who exploit these delusions of grandeur through the continuing creation and proliferation of "travel" "elite" and "All-Star teams." Anyone who has a kid playing in a youth sports league will recognize several of the characters that Swyers creates.
One of the refreshing parts of this book is the way Swyers so clearly delineates between good guys and bad guys. At a time when the line between amateur sports and sports as a business has become as blurry as a batter's box chalk line in the 9th inning of a game, it's nice to spend time rooting for a character with intentions that are completely noble....even if you're not sure if he might decide that his noble ends may justify some questionable means.
In writing this story, Swyers could have easily written a book that was predictable and preachy. But he does not. Instead, he wrote a book with some of the most realistic characters you will come across. As a matter of fact, one of the things I liked best about this book was how real the characters seemed to me. This could likely be due to the fact that the book is, as Swyers discussed in a recent interview on the Guy Who Reviews Sports Books' blog, somewhat auto-biographical. Hence the reason I think it can be categorized as a fictionalized memoir.
In addition to writing a book with a wide cast of characters who are both real and relatable, Swyers did something I found to be very impressive. He created, at least in my mind, a very strong sense of uncertainty in how the book will eventually turn out through his opening scene in which Thompson fires a shotgun at his nemesis, Rob Barkus.
David's reckless act as the book opens made me wonder throughout what the overall arc of the story would be. Will David actually crack and will the final outcome be decided with someone looking into the barrel of a shotgun? Are we dealing with a happy ending or are things going to turn out very bad for some people? As a matter of fact, the opening scene was so original and unexpected that I had a nagging sense of uncertainty throughout the book. It was one of the reasons I kept wanting to turn the pages.
As the story progresses, it builds up to a final confrontation, a battle so to speak, that is completely original and one that would translate well onto the big screen. By the time Swyers reaches this point of the book, I was fully invested in the characters which made this scene even more satisfying. There are a lot of well written scenes in Saving Babe Ruth, but this scene, in particular, gave me a true sense of almost being there in person.
If you're looking for a book to read that has colorful characters, a strong plot-line, and a sense of unpredictability from page one, do yourself a favor and make some time to read Swyers' book. Available on Amazon in both kindle and paperback.
As summer begins to wind down and Pennant races begin to tighten up in preparation for the Fall Classic, author Tom Swyers' debuts with a novel that is truly one of a kind. Saving Babe Ruth is a truly original story that possesses many great elements of story telling.
One of the things that makes Saving Babe Ruth an excellent read is its unpredictability. While I will admit to having had a pretty good sense of how the book would end, I was never exactly sure how Swyers would get there. To use a baseball analogy, Swyers throws plenty of curveballs throughout the book which will keep you guessing throughout the story.
This is a book with enough elements that it's hard to fit it into a single category. While Saving Babe Ruth is definitely, at its heart, a baseball book, it's also a fictionalized memoir and has enough action and suspense that I could make the case it is somewhat of a sports thriller, too.
Saving Babe Ruth tells the story of how its protagonist, David Thompson, a lawyer in upstate New York, tries to save his local Babe Ruth league from being ruined by parents and promoters who stand to benefit (both monetarily and egotistically) by attempting to "professionalize" youth sports.
The book is completely relevant in an era when kids' sports have, at best, been tainted and at worst, almost ruined, by parents who want to live vicariously through the athletic accomplishments of their kids, and the "promoters" who exploit these delusions of grandeur through the continuing creation and proliferation of "travel" "elite" and "All-Star teams." Anyone who has a kid playing in a youth sports league will recognize several of the characters that Swyers creates.
One of the refreshing parts of this book is the way Swyers so clearly delineates between good guys and bad guys. At a time when the line between amateur sports and sports as a business has become as blurry as a batter's box chalk line in the 9th inning of a game, it's nice to spend time rooting for a character with intentions that are completely noble....even if you're not sure if he might decide that his noble ends may justify some questionable means.
In writing this story, Swyers could have easily written a book that was predictable and preachy. But he does not. Instead, he wrote a book with some of the most realistic characters you will come across. As a matter of fact, one of the things I liked best about this book was how real the characters seemed to me. This could likely be due to the fact that the book is, as Swyers discussed in a recent interview on the Guy Who Reviews Sports Books' blog, somewhat auto-biographical. Hence the reason I think it can be categorized as a fictionalized memoir.
In addition to writing a book with a wide cast of characters who are both real and relatable, Swyers did something I found to be very impressive. He created, at least in my mind, a very strong sense of uncertainty in how the book will eventually turn out through his opening scene in which Thompson fires a shotgun at his nemesis, Rob Barkus.
David's reckless act as the book opens made me wonder throughout what the overall arc of the story would be. Will David actually crack and will the final outcome be decided with someone looking into the barrel of a shotgun? Are we dealing with a happy ending or are things going to turn out very bad for some people? As a matter of fact, the opening scene was so original and unexpected that I had a nagging sense of uncertainty throughout the book. It was one of the reasons I kept wanting to turn the pages.
As the story progresses, it builds up to a final confrontation, a battle so to speak, that is completely original and one that would translate well onto the big screen. By the time Swyers reaches this point of the book, I was fully invested in the characters which made this scene even more satisfying. There are a lot of well written scenes in Saving Babe Ruth, but this scene, in particular, gave me a true sense of almost being there in person.
If you're looking for a book to read that has colorful characters, a strong plot-line, and a sense of unpredictability from page one, do yourself a favor and make some time to read Swyers' book. Available on Amazon in both kindle and paperback.
July 2, 2014
Rating:
4 ½ of 5 stars (excellent)
Review:
When I was provided a copy of this book to review by the author, the title made me think it was about Babe Ruth – another biography of the Great Bambino. Then I saw the cover and was intrigued with the gun being held instead of a baseball bat. After that, I started reading and was hooked from the opening passage.
In the upstate New York town of Indigo Valley, a lawyer who has had trouble finding cases to handle is the volunteer commissioner of the town’s Babe Ruth youth baseball league. David Thompson takes good care of his field and wants to ensure that kids of all abilities to wish to play baseball have a chance to do so in his league.
However, the best players are drawn away from Babe Ruth baseball and are instead playing for the Elite Travel Baseball League, lured by the possibility of making the school baseball team, earning a college scholarship and possibly even becoming a professional ball player. It creates a conflict for not only the players and which league(s) they should play for, but also for use of the Babe Ruth league field. This conflict between the adults grows more bitter as the town board, school officials and parents of the players grow increasingly hostile toward each other for what they believe “is best for the kids.”
This is the setting and storyline of Tom Swyers debut novel about one town’s battle between the long established Babe Ruth league open to all young ballplayers and an elite travel league that is a baseball machine, grabbing the best players with promises of stardom. The story takes us from the field to the town board and all of the small town politics that entails. We meet the Thompson family – David, his wife Annie who is getting worn down with all the baseball activity and their son Christy. Christy, who was named for David’s favorite baseball player Christy Mathewson, is a player in the Babe Ruth league but wants to play for the school as well. All of these characters are easy to follow and cheer for during this story.
The story is also filled with drama and humor as the conflict grows and new revelations about just how deep some of the adults go to ensure that the travel league gets the best of everything are introduced. Some of them are seemingly impossible to conceive. Through these, Swyers does a terrific job of illustrating the darker side of youth sports today, showing how far some adults will go to get their way in a children’s game.
The writing style makes the book easy to read and the reader will be drawn into the story. There is plenty of baseball as well, and these scenes are well written and describe a youth baseball game with very realistic detail. Everything that one can recall about a ball game in town, whether player or spectator, from the cinder block dugouts to the concession stand, is included in these sections. As for the ending, it is one that the reader will thoroughly enjoy as much as the rest of the story.
For baseball fans, this is a great book for recalling those days when playing or watching children play organized baseball. For readers who like a good drama with characters you can easily cheer for or despise, this book will deliver. This is a terrific first novel for this author and should be put on your must-read list.
I wish to thank Mr. Swyers for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Did I skim?
No
Were the characters realistic?
Mostly yes. David and his family were for the most part, although I thought David was a bit of an eccentric with the Civil War references. Some of the other characters, especially the main antagonist Rob Barkus and the school principal Mr. Conway seemed a little too far –fetched. I mean, really, an agent representing a superstar NFL running back can double as a school principal? It was a nice touch to the story, but for a character it felt like overkill for what the author was trying to illustrate.
Pace of the story:
Excellent
Do I recommend?
Yes. Baseball fans will enjoy this tale about the best and worst of youth baseball, as well as readers who like a good drama with a dash of humor.
4 ½ of 5 stars (excellent)
Review:
When I was provided a copy of this book to review by the author, the title made me think it was about Babe Ruth – another biography of the Great Bambino. Then I saw the cover and was intrigued with the gun being held instead of a baseball bat. After that, I started reading and was hooked from the opening passage.
In the upstate New York town of Indigo Valley, a lawyer who has had trouble finding cases to handle is the volunteer commissioner of the town’s Babe Ruth youth baseball league. David Thompson takes good care of his field and wants to ensure that kids of all abilities to wish to play baseball have a chance to do so in his league.
However, the best players are drawn away from Babe Ruth baseball and are instead playing for the Elite Travel Baseball League, lured by the possibility of making the school baseball team, earning a college scholarship and possibly even becoming a professional ball player. It creates a conflict for not only the players and which league(s) they should play for, but also for use of the Babe Ruth league field. This conflict between the adults grows more bitter as the town board, school officials and parents of the players grow increasingly hostile toward each other for what they believe “is best for the kids.”
This is the setting and storyline of Tom Swyers debut novel about one town’s battle between the long established Babe Ruth league open to all young ballplayers and an elite travel league that is a baseball machine, grabbing the best players with promises of stardom. The story takes us from the field to the town board and all of the small town politics that entails. We meet the Thompson family – David, his wife Annie who is getting worn down with all the baseball activity and their son Christy. Christy, who was named for David’s favorite baseball player Christy Mathewson, is a player in the Babe Ruth league but wants to play for the school as well. All of these characters are easy to follow and cheer for during this story.
The story is also filled with drama and humor as the conflict grows and new revelations about just how deep some of the adults go to ensure that the travel league gets the best of everything are introduced. Some of them are seemingly impossible to conceive. Through these, Swyers does a terrific job of illustrating the darker side of youth sports today, showing how far some adults will go to get their way in a children’s game.
The writing style makes the book easy to read and the reader will be drawn into the story. There is plenty of baseball as well, and these scenes are well written and describe a youth baseball game with very realistic detail. Everything that one can recall about a ball game in town, whether player or spectator, from the cinder block dugouts to the concession stand, is included in these sections. As for the ending, it is one that the reader will thoroughly enjoy as much as the rest of the story.
For baseball fans, this is a great book for recalling those days when playing or watching children play organized baseball. For readers who like a good drama with characters you can easily cheer for or despise, this book will deliver. This is a terrific first novel for this author and should be put on your must-read list.
I wish to thank Mr. Swyers for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Did I skim?
No
Were the characters realistic?
Mostly yes. David and his family were for the most part, although I thought David was a bit of an eccentric with the Civil War references. Some of the other characters, especially the main antagonist Rob Barkus and the school principal Mr. Conway seemed a little too far –fetched. I mean, really, an agent representing a superstar NFL running back can double as a school principal? It was a nice touch to the story, but for a character it felt like overkill for what the author was trying to illustrate.
Pace of the story:
Excellent
Do I recommend?
Yes. Baseball fans will enjoy this tale about the best and worst of youth baseball, as well as readers who like a good drama with a dash of humor.
June 10, 2015
“Saving Babe Ruth” By Tom Swyers is a book that deserves more than a passing glance. The saying don't judge a book by it's cover certainly applies for this piece of literature on many levels. Some may snatch it up in anticipation because it includes the name Babe Ruth which is synonymous with baseball. The reader should know Babe Ruth is not a character in this book, but recognized as the baseball great he was as community and youth baseball teams joined leagues named in his honor.
Most readers will see this as just another baseball book. I contend that it's a story about a long forgotten lifestyle where kids and parents played baseball not for money, scholarships, and dreams of fame, but for fun, for love of a game that was America's favorite past time because it was pure and wholesome family fun. I was reminded of my years as a young girl when my brother played baseball and we were always at the field as a family, as were the other players families. Parents weren't screaming at their kids, the ump or other refs, they instead cheered for their kids and encouraged them. The books main character, David Thompson, I imagine is a man that grew up with those values at the same time I did, and he wages a battle to try and bring a little more of that back to the game in this book.
The book is about more then baseball, though I think most people reading it without really thinking about the underlying messages and themes will only see it as a baseball book. I see it as a commentary on the state of our world, where the all mighty dollar corrupts absolutely everything, even things that were just meant to be enjoyed. This book walks through the politics and yes even the corruption of baseball at all levels, but honestly the theme could be recounted with any other sport, organization or institution. Politics and corruption are everywhere now and our kids are the most harmed by that fact.
I also found myself drawn to Annie, the wife of David Thompson. She was a baseball widow. If she wanted to spend time with her husband and son during the season, she had to do so at the field. I knew she wanted her son to have good experiences, to have choices other then a culture that was being taken over by drugs and crime, but I sensed in her that she just wanted him to have fun and be a kid. Baseball wasn't “serious” stuff to her. She had to grin and bear the long hours her husband put in as league commissioner and team coach, so she joined in to help, knowing without volunteers, her son and the children of all the other mothers would lose out on the important life lessons a youth athlete can learn. She supported her husband because it needed to be done, but the politics of the game had a profound impact on her marriage and family.
I will be honest there were phrases and themes that even once they were adequately explained so they would be entrenched in the readers mind, kept showing up which did at times make me feel like I had to trudge through the book to get to the end, and it got a hair tiresome.
I'm not an avid baseball fan, I pay attention to my Michigan team the Detroit Tigers even during the long time drought of wins and non play off years, but I did enjoy this book. I would certainly recommend it to someone who loves baseball, and to those who don't mind baseball and would like to read a book about a man who just wanted to keep baseball open to kids of all skill levels and economic circumstances.
Most readers will see this as just another baseball book. I contend that it's a story about a long forgotten lifestyle where kids and parents played baseball not for money, scholarships, and dreams of fame, but for fun, for love of a game that was America's favorite past time because it was pure and wholesome family fun. I was reminded of my years as a young girl when my brother played baseball and we were always at the field as a family, as were the other players families. Parents weren't screaming at their kids, the ump or other refs, they instead cheered for their kids and encouraged them. The books main character, David Thompson, I imagine is a man that grew up with those values at the same time I did, and he wages a battle to try and bring a little more of that back to the game in this book.
The book is about more then baseball, though I think most people reading it without really thinking about the underlying messages and themes will only see it as a baseball book. I see it as a commentary on the state of our world, where the all mighty dollar corrupts absolutely everything, even things that were just meant to be enjoyed. This book walks through the politics and yes even the corruption of baseball at all levels, but honestly the theme could be recounted with any other sport, organization or institution. Politics and corruption are everywhere now and our kids are the most harmed by that fact.
I also found myself drawn to Annie, the wife of David Thompson. She was a baseball widow. If she wanted to spend time with her husband and son during the season, she had to do so at the field. I knew she wanted her son to have good experiences, to have choices other then a culture that was being taken over by drugs and crime, but I sensed in her that she just wanted him to have fun and be a kid. Baseball wasn't “serious” stuff to her. She had to grin and bear the long hours her husband put in as league commissioner and team coach, so she joined in to help, knowing without volunteers, her son and the children of all the other mothers would lose out on the important life lessons a youth athlete can learn. She supported her husband because it needed to be done, but the politics of the game had a profound impact on her marriage and family.
I will be honest there were phrases and themes that even once they were adequately explained so they would be entrenched in the readers mind, kept showing up which did at times make me feel like I had to trudge through the book to get to the end, and it got a hair tiresome.
I'm not an avid baseball fan, I pay attention to my Michigan team the Detroit Tigers even during the long time drought of wins and non play off years, but I did enjoy this book. I would certainly recommend it to someone who loves baseball, and to those who don't mind baseball and would like to read a book about a man who just wanted to keep baseball open to kids of all skill levels and economic circumstances.
September 21, 2015
If you have read the complete synopsis of Saving Babe Ruth by following the link to Goodreads, you have a good idea of the main characters and plot as Tom Swyers has developed both. However, one central and motivating element stood out as I read this book. I want to focus on that today.
At the heart of Saving Babe Ruth is its main character, David Thompson. Husband, father, and lawyer, David is passionate about his family, Civil War history and art, and the Babe Ruth recreational baseball league in his hometown of Indigo Valley. These are the people and activities making his life worthwhile. Especially the Babe Ruth recreational baseball league he sees somewhat singlehandedly and the team he coaches.
My grandmother had a saying heard many times during my childhood. It went something like this: "No one had better not mess with her kids cause she would fight a sabre saw to protect her children." She meant she wasn't going to back down from anybody or anything.
As David Thompson became familiar to me through Swyers' writing, I saw him as a man who would stand that strong for his family and the boys on his Babe Ruth team. No matter how threatening or tough someone wanted to be, no matter how far they pushed him, no matter what they said or did, David Thompson was going up against the actions or words of his opposition.
The story unfolds quickly. My passion and hopes for this ragtag team and their coach built into a frenzy which matched the pace of Swyers' writing at every page turn. I laughed, I cried, I cheered, and yes, I even feared the next scene until I had finished reading the scene.
Tom Swyers is a master storyteller providing his readers with the right combination of light and dark, humorous and serious, and tough and soft in character and scene development. He has taken a staple of American community and shown it threatened by big dollar, greedy and subversive actions, while others ignore the most important element, the young athletes with hopes and dreams.
Whether you pick up Saving Babe Ruth because you are a Babe Ruth or Little League parent or past team member, you're a sports lover, or a fan of thrillers and suspense, you are in for a treat. I highly recommend Tom Swyers' debut novel without reservation to any reader looking for a good read pointing to the contrasts in our society which can bring nothing but hurt and dismay to any part of the children living around us.
NOTE: I received a copy of Saving Babe Ruth from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review. Opinions expressed are my own.
At the heart of Saving Babe Ruth is its main character, David Thompson. Husband, father, and lawyer, David is passionate about his family, Civil War history and art, and the Babe Ruth recreational baseball league in his hometown of Indigo Valley. These are the people and activities making his life worthwhile. Especially the Babe Ruth recreational baseball league he sees somewhat singlehandedly and the team he coaches.
My grandmother had a saying heard many times during my childhood. It went something like this: "No one had better not mess with her kids cause she would fight a sabre saw to protect her children." She meant she wasn't going to back down from anybody or anything.
As David Thompson became familiar to me through Swyers' writing, I saw him as a man who would stand that strong for his family and the boys on his Babe Ruth team. No matter how threatening or tough someone wanted to be, no matter how far they pushed him, no matter what they said or did, David Thompson was going up against the actions or words of his opposition.
The story unfolds quickly. My passion and hopes for this ragtag team and their coach built into a frenzy which matched the pace of Swyers' writing at every page turn. I laughed, I cried, I cheered, and yes, I even feared the next scene until I had finished reading the scene.
Tom Swyers is a master storyteller providing his readers with the right combination of light and dark, humorous and serious, and tough and soft in character and scene development. He has taken a staple of American community and shown it threatened by big dollar, greedy and subversive actions, while others ignore the most important element, the young athletes with hopes and dreams.
Whether you pick up Saving Babe Ruth because you are a Babe Ruth or Little League parent or past team member, you're a sports lover, or a fan of thrillers and suspense, you are in for a treat. I highly recommend Tom Swyers' debut novel without reservation to any reader looking for a good read pointing to the contrasts in our society which can bring nothing but hurt and dismay to any part of the children living around us.
NOTE: I received a copy of Saving Babe Ruth from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review. Opinions expressed are my own.
June 26, 2014
To begin I was fortunate enough to receive an advanced copy of this book through the Goodreads First Reads give away program. Also this is my first book review so I hope it is helpful since I am new to being a book reviewer.
At first glance I saw this as a book of interest having grown up playing in a small town community league. I didn't know exactly what to expect but I was blown away at the quality of the book as I am usually hesitant to test the waters with authors I've never read.
The book begins by giving you background into the issues of a community youth baseball league that is struggling to keep a float. It begins with a little excitement showing the issue at hand, a struggle to keep players from joining the "elite" league that is supposed to be the league that will provide a better baseball future. This league has one problem though, they want to use the best field in town. David Thompson, a volunteer for the Babe Ruth League Community League, refuses to allow the elite league to use the field though since they are what is threatening to kill the community league that lets all youth have a chance to play baseball. This is gone over in great detail, almost too much, making the book drag for the first 70 pages or so.
Eventually after setting up the background the book really picks up and I'm glad I didn't give up on it. You begin to see how far David will go to save the community league. Giving up time with his family, becoming the town villain, and even ignoring his own career. While the leader of the elite league, Barkus, becomes a real thorn in David's side he meets Johnny, a man who wants to help preserve community leagues as much as David. Together they team up to fight against Barkus and the parents of the elite league to save the Babe Ruth League and keep the field.
The book gives you a heart warming story of a man who refuses to let money and power keep all youth from having an equal opportunity to play baseball in town. It will make you angry, make you laugh, and bring you into the world of how youth baseball operates in many small towns across America today.
At first glance I saw this as a book of interest having grown up playing in a small town community league. I didn't know exactly what to expect but I was blown away at the quality of the book as I am usually hesitant to test the waters with authors I've never read.
The book begins by giving you background into the issues of a community youth baseball league that is struggling to keep a float. It begins with a little excitement showing the issue at hand, a struggle to keep players from joining the "elite" league that is supposed to be the league that will provide a better baseball future. This league has one problem though, they want to use the best field in town. David Thompson, a volunteer for the Babe Ruth League Community League, refuses to allow the elite league to use the field though since they are what is threatening to kill the community league that lets all youth have a chance to play baseball. This is gone over in great detail, almost too much, making the book drag for the first 70 pages or so.
Eventually after setting up the background the book really picks up and I'm glad I didn't give up on it. You begin to see how far David will go to save the community league. Giving up time with his family, becoming the town villain, and even ignoring his own career. While the leader of the elite league, Barkus, becomes a real thorn in David's side he meets Johnny, a man who wants to help preserve community leagues as much as David. Together they team up to fight against Barkus and the parents of the elite league to save the Babe Ruth League and keep the field.
The book gives you a heart warming story of a man who refuses to let money and power keep all youth from having an equal opportunity to play baseball in town. It will make you angry, make you laugh, and bring you into the world of how youth baseball operates in many small towns across America today.
February 18, 2016
Swing and a miss.
I initially set this book aside after two chapters because the author couldn't help but use every baseball cliche imaginable. I only picked it up again when I was on a train and had no internet access to download another book. I trudged through a couple more chapters and got hooked, but only because it was so bad I wanted to see where the author went with it. The characters weren't believable, and the plot seemed like it was something a child might imagine adult life is like.
The protagonist was unlikable. He was obsessive - caring only about children's baseball and war - to hell with everything else (including his marriage, his son's social prospects, and the law). Most of the other characters were up to cartoon-like villainy, because children's baseball. There was a a weird plotline about the school principal that added nothing to the book, and was revisited in the epilogue in a way that was more confusing than his inclusion in the book in the first place.
There was nothing in this book for me. The writing wasn't engaging, the characters weren't believable, and the story was just plain childish. If you're the type that likes to refer to successes as "home runs," failures as "strikeouts," and still like to speak in terms of what base you got to with a member of the opposite (or same) sex, this book may be for you. If you think Texas high school football is anything more than children playing a game, this book may be for you. If you're looking for something interesting, challenging, or just plain fun, look elsewhere. You won't find any of that here.
I initially set this book aside after two chapters because the author couldn't help but use every baseball cliche imaginable. I only picked it up again when I was on a train and had no internet access to download another book. I trudged through a couple more chapters and got hooked, but only because it was so bad I wanted to see where the author went with it. The characters weren't believable, and the plot seemed like it was something a child might imagine adult life is like.
The protagonist was unlikable. He was obsessive - caring only about children's baseball and war - to hell with everything else (including his marriage, his son's social prospects, and the law). Most of the other characters were up to cartoon-like villainy, because children's baseball. There was a a weird plotline about the school principal that added nothing to the book, and was revisited in the epilogue in a way that was more confusing than his inclusion in the book in the first place.
There was nothing in this book for me. The writing wasn't engaging, the characters weren't believable, and the story was just plain childish. If you're the type that likes to refer to successes as "home runs," failures as "strikeouts," and still like to speak in terms of what base you got to with a member of the opposite (or same) sex, this book may be for you. If you think Texas high school football is anything more than children playing a game, this book may be for you. If you're looking for something interesting, challenging, or just plain fun, look elsewhere. You won't find any of that here.
June 10, 2015
I was very curious to see what Mr. Swyers had in store after receiving the Kindle version of the book. Having grown up playing "in-house" baseball and family members who played a lot of elite travel ball, I figured the story would be right up my alley. I was not disappointed. Swyers writes from a very authentic point of view that comes from years in the trenches dealing with real life adult battles over youth baseball leagues. Some of the ridiculous situations that the adults get themselves come across as very much the type of things that self-absorbed adults would create all in the name of "just playing ball."
Admittedly, I was thrown off by the amount of Civil War history that was included in the beginning of the book. At first I thought it was being forced on me more than I liked, but as the book went on the history and present storyline flowed together with much more ease. It is not hard to root for the "good guys" and not hard to smile at the resolution of the book. The intertwining of different thematic elements - Civil War, Rockwell paintings, the Godfather, and more - all make for a very enjoyable read that is easily connected to. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys baseball, has a child who does or might ever play baseball or just wants a good read!
Admittedly, I was thrown off by the amount of Civil War history that was included in the beginning of the book. At first I thought it was being forced on me more than I liked, but as the book went on the history and present storyline flowed together with much more ease. It is not hard to root for the "good guys" and not hard to smile at the resolution of the book. The intertwining of different thematic elements - Civil War, Rockwell paintings, the Godfather, and more - all make for a very enjoyable read that is easily connected to. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys baseball, has a child who does or might ever play baseball or just wants a good read!
June 28, 2015
Based on a true story, Tom Swyers has crafted a baseball tale that is both laugh out loud funny and touching.
David Thompson, a Civil war buff and 50 year old elder lawyer, is watching his clients pass away while struggling in his own marriage. When he learns that the youth league in his hometown of Indigo Valley is shutting down, he starts coming up with plans to save the team. The Babe Ruth baseball program is important to his eighth grade son, Christy – and to all of Christy’s friends. The idea of it shuttering its doors is almost unthinkable.
Unfortunately, David’s drive to save the team puts a wedge between him and his wife, Annie. Though she really wants him to succeed, their marriage is strained, a situation that just gets worse when David starts keeping secrets from her! On top of that, the town itself is steeped in secrets, with people left and right seemingly living double lives!
It goes from funny to dangerous when it becomes clear certain individuals do NOT want the team to be resurrected. David has to ply his wits and skills in order to overcome them, while somehow finding a way to save his marriage.
While a baseball novel, this is a book for everyone – it is family focused with enough mystery and appeal to get the attention of anyone who reads it. The characters are well developed – and funny.
A+!
David Thompson, a Civil war buff and 50 year old elder lawyer, is watching his clients pass away while struggling in his own marriage. When he learns that the youth league in his hometown of Indigo Valley is shutting down, he starts coming up with plans to save the team. The Babe Ruth baseball program is important to his eighth grade son, Christy – and to all of Christy’s friends. The idea of it shuttering its doors is almost unthinkable.
Unfortunately, David’s drive to save the team puts a wedge between him and his wife, Annie. Though she really wants him to succeed, their marriage is strained, a situation that just gets worse when David starts keeping secrets from her! On top of that, the town itself is steeped in secrets, with people left and right seemingly living double lives!
It goes from funny to dangerous when it becomes clear certain individuals do NOT want the team to be resurrected. David has to ply his wits and skills in order to overcome them, while somehow finding a way to save his marriage.
While a baseball novel, this is a book for everyone – it is family focused with enough mystery and appeal to get the attention of anyone who reads it. The characters are well developed – and funny.
A+!
September 10, 2015
I truly enjoyed this one. I'm usually a romance reader and only once in a while read other genres, although I do enjoy them. I chose to read and review this one because of my love of baseball. I have to say, for a debut novel, Mr. Swyers has done a remarkable jog. I found myself involved and yelling and cheering and laughing and angry, etc. You get the idea. Mr. Swyers has written a tale that encompasses so many emotions. The story of his fight to save the Babe Ruth youth baseball program is one that encompasses the behind the scenes reality of many sports leagues of the youth today. David fights for what he believes in and I really liked him. There is also some twists and turns that kept me guessing throughout and looking forward to turning the next page. I would highly recommend this one for anyone that enjoys multiple genres. Yes, it's a baseball book. It's also a bit of a memoir and a fictional story that has intrigue and a bit of suspense as well as some chuckles and good old fashion fun. A wonderful job, Mr. Swyers! (received copy courtesy of the author for an honest review)
July 19, 2014
I really enjoyed this book and it does a good job of pulling at the heart strings once you are settled in. The real strength in this novel are the characters and their ability to help you fully immerse and suspend disbelief for a while. The whole America's pastime/nostalgia factor also work their magic on the reader. Two minor criticism's I have would be that I think the length could be shortened up for more dramatic effect and the villain can be a little on the nose at times. Once again though, very minor complaints that didn't detract from my enjoyment.
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